Hunter x Hunter Prompt Challenge
by Killugonwriter
Summary: A place where I post my super-short Hunter x Hunter puke based on prompts. If certain chapters get enough requests to make into a longer story, I will.


**A/N: This will be a place where I write some Hunter x Hunter puke based on some random prompts. If you really like certain chapters, I will turn these into bigger stories upon enough requests.**

 **Prompt: "For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn."**

At all sides, she was surrounded by her city of garbage. Even though it seemed like the girl didn't belong here, she had nowhere else she could be instead. Gotoh stopped just before where she slept— in a toppled over, weathered brown box. It was plain to see that it was a sad life: one that Gotoh would never wish upon anybody.

In the early morning light he could see her bones jutting against her skin at odd angles. The girl was skinny from finding too little to eat in Meteor City's rubbish. Surely, she had taught herself how to scavenge, as doing it alone was her only choice. The lines in Gotoh's face became graver. With her dark skin and frail body, she looked like a baby crow abandoned by its mother.

The hard leather soles of Gotoh's dress shoes made a lot of noise as they trekked over the sea of trash to approach her. This is why she awoke so easily.

Her eyes were a startling, color-sucked gray. With her grimey appearance and the flies swarming her like she had the plague, she looked like she could die at any moment.

But for some reason, Gotoh could instantly see she had fight in her. Even though she was truly like a baby bird in every way, her eyes were those of a falcon. She was physically weak, obviously, but she had this way about her that made you wonder if she truly did have talons fit to strike. It was something very rare to see in the desolate people that resided in Meteor City. By comparison, this girl was something sweet amongst the stench.

The loaf of bread that Gotoh held beneath his jacket was still warm. She reminded him of that—like it was the most important thing he had to remember.

"You come to buy something?" Her voice came out raspy, and Gotoh knew the smell of the sun-baked garbage was stuck in her throat from years of living here.

Gotoh didn't answer, but rather read the sign hoisted next to her makeshift home. "For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn." It was hard to read since she had written it with a dead marker she must have found somewhere. Gotoh looked at the small pile of baby shoes, You would have to be stupid to believe they weren't worn by someone before.

"No," He frowned. "I didn't."

She didn't seem too pleased at that. Despite it, she moved towards him anyways, as if his company didn't ruffle her feathers. He noticed that she didn't even wear any shoes herself. The dirt was her shoes, along with tough calluses that must've taken years to form.

"Hmm." Her wild hair shifted about her sunken face. "Guess I found each shoe's pair for nothing," she said. She watched him eying the scruffy shoes and knew that he saw through her claims of them being new. "But sometimes I was lucky and they were still on a body. It was a lot easier to find a matching set that way."

Gotoh was quiet. Even with death looming over her, she was chillingly unnerved. Long ago, she must have come to terms with the way she lived.

"I see," he said after a moment, offering a sad smile. He looked above the girl, and lingered on the way the sun could barely penetrate this reeky smog. He heard the girl kick a aluminum can aside with her toe as she wobbled to her feet.

Gotoh thought her legs would give out at any moment as he watched her shake with malnourishment. Internally, he applauded her dedication to being strong. He liked her. He really did, right from the start. She was perfect for what his masters were looking for. Truly, her feathers would be beautiful once she was given an opportunity.

"I have something for you," he untucked the loaf of bread from under his coat, and the girl's eyes became wide with hunger. She looked at the bread as if she had never seen so much in her life. He assumed she never had, at least. She hid this look quickly, though.

Her voice wavered. "What the hell do you want? Think I'm destitute enough to be lured in by some rich sleezeball?" Gotoh looked visibly upset by that. He knew of the horrible ways people preyed on the residents of Meteor City, especially for sex or slave labor. She narrowed those eyes at him. "Because I know it's obvious that I am." Her eyes became shiny. "Damn you."

He was surprised that she admitted that— and for some reason, it hurt. It really did.

"I'm not here for anything of that nature, miss."

He got closer to her, the garbage clunking and scraping as it was stepped on. She looked a little afraid, but she didn't look like she was going to cry anymore. Gotoh knew that she had given up, but it was good she had given up around the right person.

Her fingers shook as Gotoh pressed the loaf into her dark hands, and she began to eat, uncaring. He had never seen someone eat so ravenously. When it was gone, she looked up at him, wiping the crumbs from her lips, as if trying to remove the evidence. She treated it as if it was a shame to eat— like she wasn't worth it.

"I'm here to offer you a job," Gotoh said eventually, and she didn't look at him, but he knew she was listening. "A butler at the Zoldyck mansion."

Her eyes grew wide, mouth quivering.

"You know of it, I assume."

"Yes," it was the first time he had heard a glimmer of hope in her voice.

"Then you're hired."

Gotoh stood, and she flew to her feet along with him. "B-but sir, I'm not fit for that."

He grabbed her by the shoulders, and at the way she flinched under his touch, he knew she had not had physical contact for a long time. "I'm the judge of that."

At that, she let out a wail, fat, hot tears began to pour over her cheeks. Gotoh knew she was young, but right now, she didn't wear her tough facade. She grabbed him by his collar and hugged him, something he didn't expect.

"I don't care if you're tricking me," she muttered into his ear, pulling him closer, "at least now I have a shot at something other than this."

Gotoh chuckled at that. "Well, my dear, I think you'll be even more pleasantly surprised." He picked her up, setting her high upon his shoulders.

"What is your name, miss?"

He could hear a smile in her voice, "Canary."

"I'm Gotoh, head butler of the Zoldyck family. It's a pleasure to meet you."

And as they headed back to the limo waiting for them at the border of the city, away from the ugliness of this part of the world, he decided he would teach her how to sing again.


End file.
